Although skipper Vaughan and Strauss, edging fine outswingers, were blameless, and Marcus Trescothick had his stumps splattered by another boomerang, others were more culpable. Paul Collingwood, who will be preferred to Ian Bell in the first Test, played a poor shot, Freddie Flintoff holed out to mid-off and Geraint Jones (4, 0 and 0 so far on the tour) was clean bowled for the third time in as many innings.

Strauss admitted: "Obviously we're not over-happy with our batting performance but there's no doubt the wicket did assist the bowlers and hopefully we can do a better job in the second innings.

"Each batsman individually has got to look at how he's got out and work out whether he's been at fault or whether he's been getting good deliveries.

"We've all played in conditions similar to these and we should be good enough to adapt better and score more than 120.

"Although it might take a bit of luck and a lot of application, there's no reason why you can't score runs on pitches like this.

"Certainly in the two games we've played out here, the wickets have got easier for batting once you've seen off the new ball, and maybe we can learn lessons from that.

"It's not panic stations yet, and no doubt the adrenaline will be flowing when the Test match comes round on Saturday, but we've got to react quicker if the wicket doesn't behave the way we expect."

England were indebted to Hoggard, who has been struggling with stomach cramps, for ripping out Pakistan A's top four within nine overs.

Hoggard finished with 4-39 and Giles bagged three wickets in eight balls to keep the home side on a tight leash.

After the procession of hunched shoulders and drooping moustaches, England's batsmen have only one innings left to find their form and arrive in Multan feeling ship-shape and bristle fashion.